I had a contract with vodaphone which was on its last year. I'm a frequent international traveller and had been throughout the duration of my contract. This means that I exercise extreme vigilance over data roaming. I know all the rules and never received charges over £30 for any trip. In May last year I was in the states for 3 days so imagine my surprise when I received a bill for data at the end of the month totalling £400! I contacted vodaphone immediately to ask them to prove how and when I used the data. Guess what...I was told they would investigate it but couldn't provide me with any evidence. I disputed the amount but continued to pay my regular monthly bill. After 8 weeks of diabolical customer services I went to the ombudsman. I repeatedly requested assurance that the dispute would not affect my unblemished credit rating. The Ombudsman called me to say that they had agreed not to issue any default as long as I paid my monthly bill which I did religiously. The ombudsman ruled that I should pay some of the charge but that the amount be reduced and that I should pay on a monthly plan. I contacted vodaphone to set up the direct debit as instructed. On checking my account I noticed no amount taken so contacted vodaphone to pay over the phone. They claimed to have set up the direct debit on 3 occasions with customer relations apologising profusely and saying this would not affect anything and the issue was resolved, that the direct debit would leave my account without fail the following 4 months.
I'm sure you guess where this is going... That clearly didn't happen because I applied for a mortgage 4 weeks ago, I checked my experian record first which was as always completely clean with top marks but my mortgage was declined, the reason...9 months of vodaphone defaults showing in Noddle and Experian! Vodaphone deny being told not to default me so won't remove them and 1 month on the ombudsman haven't looked into it for me. I'm stunned and devastated at being so trusting of what I thought was a fair process. I'm scared the ombudsman hasn't recorded this agreement and that I'm stuck with it for years. Vodaphone have had me on the phone for 50 minutes on 2 occasions at my cost and just put the phone down on me, repeatedly ended calls with me after minutes or plain not answered for 25 minutes, their staff are rude and most unprofessional. Please let me assure you, I am polite, calm at all times and always try to seek resolution but my treatment has been horrendous and I feel let down by the Ombudsman now as well. I have complained to both and have reported the same to offcom but I'm now at a loss. This is just so wrong and unfair given I told them I had the funds to pay and I never received any notice of default, in fact no communication at all from vodaphone. I've learned a big old lesson here, I will never deal with them again but any advice on resolution would be gratefully received.
I'm sure you guess where this is going... That clearly didn't happen because I applied for a mortgage 4 weeks ago, I checked my experian record first which was as always completely clean with top marks but my mortgage was declined, the reason...9 months of vodaphone defaults showing in Noddle and Experian! Vodaphone deny being told not to default me so won't remove them and 1 month on the ombudsman haven't looked into it for me. I'm stunned and devastated at being so trusting of what I thought was a fair process. I'm scared the ombudsman hasn't recorded this agreement and that I'm stuck with it for years. Vodaphone have had me on the phone for 50 minutes on 2 occasions at my cost and just put the phone down on me, repeatedly ended calls with me after minutes or plain not answered for 25 minutes, their staff are rude and most unprofessional. Please let me assure you, I am polite, calm at all times and always try to seek resolution but my treatment has been horrendous and I feel let down by the Ombudsman now as well. I have complained to both and have reported the same to offcom but I'm now at a loss. This is just so wrong and unfair given I told them I had the funds to pay and I never received any notice of default, in fact no communication at all from vodaphone. I've learned a big old lesson here, I will never deal with them again but any advice on resolution would be gratefully received.